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Sydney Airport is committed to communicating about how we are working with our tenants and other stakeholders to safely manage PFAS contamination at the airport.
What are PFAS?
PFAS, or per- and poly-fluorinated alkyl substances, are manufactured chemicals used in products that resist heat, oil, stains and water.
There are many types of PFAS. The most common are perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). These manufactured chemicals are very stable, meaning they do not break down easily and can accumulate in the environment.
PFAS are often found in soil and water in most urban areas.
PFAS have been used around the world for several decades in products such as non-stick cookware, stain protection, food packaging and clothing manufacturing. PFAS have also been used for industrial purposes including in firefighting foam known as Aqueous Film-Forming Foams. There are often concentrations of PFAS at airports and other industrial areas where these firefighting foams have been used.
There are known sources of PFAS at Sydney Airport, with the majority attributed to the historic use of firefighting foams by firefighting service providers during training exercises. Airservices Australia stopped using products containing PFAS at Sydney Airport in 2010. Deluge systems for hangars and bulk fuel storage are also known to have PFAS-containing products.
PFAS National Environment Management Plan
In recognition of the potential effects of PFAS, the Environment Ministers around Australia asked the Heads of Environmental Protection Authorities (EPAs) in Australia and New Zealand and the Commonwealth Government Department of Environment and Energy to collaborate to create a PFAS National Environmental Management Plan (NEMP).
The PFAS NEMP advises how to test for PFAS and how to manage any contaminated sites. It includes environmental guideline values for soil and water. Where concentrations of PFAS are below the guideline values, risks of exposure are considered low and acceptable. Sydney Airport has generally adopted the NEMP as best practice.
Keeping you informed
Our Master Plan 2039 and Environment Strategy 2019-2024 recognise that Sydney Airport has been impacted by the use of PFAS by a number of third parties. This information will continue to be updated as more information becomes available.
Our priority is to deliver the highest levels of safety for our staff, contractors, passengers, community and stakeholders, and to ensure we operate sustainably by minimising impacts on our local environment.
The Commonwealth Department of Health advises that exposure to PFAS have not been proven to cause any specific illnesses in humans. It also notes that there is not enough information available to definitively say what, if any, health effects may be caused by exposure to PFAS. As PFAS can remain in humans and the environment for many years, the Department of Health recommends that, as a precaution, human exposure be minimised.
The EPA advises that people can come into contact with PFAS through eating food and drinking water containing small amounts of PFAS and by using everyday products like cosmetics, shaving cream, water-repellent sprays and non-stick cookware.
Research into the potential health effects of PFAS is ongoing around the world.
For more information on PFAS exposure and Commonwealth Government research into its potential health effects, visit the Department of Health’s website at health.gov.au/pfas.
Sydney Airport is located eight kilometres south of Sydney’s city centre in Mascot, within an industrial area.
Sources of PFAS exist within the airport and surrounding areas including the Botany Industrial Park and Kurnell refinery. The area also contains waterways such as Botany Bay, Cooks River, Alexandra Canal and Sydney Water mains, which could affect how contaminants such as PFAS move around the precinct and travel from other industrial sites.
Foams containing PFAS have historically been stored or used by tenants at several locations within the airport. Airservices Australia has advised that PFAS has not been used in its firefighting foams since 2010. We are working with other tenants to phase out any remaining PFAS-containing firefighting foam products at the airport.
While Sydney Airport continues to advocate for the removal of PFAS sources at the airport, it should be noted that PFAS remains a commonly used substance in a range of industrial and household products.
As the airport operator, we play an important role in working with tenants and the Commonwealth Government on a long-term management strategy for PFAS contamination.
Sydney Airport is committed to better understanding and managing any impact from PFAS-containing materials at the airport.
As part of our ongoing environmental management of Sydney Airport in accordance with the Commonwealth Airports Act 1996 and regulations, we are testing and monitoring PFAS contamination. We are undertaking soil, groundwater and surface water investigations to allow us to better understand potential PFAS sources, movements and exposures.
We have requested our tenants to remove PFAS products and manage PFAS source areas in accordance with the NEMP.
Tenants who have used PFAS products are collecting data on soil, groundwater and surface water conditions within their leased areas. We are working with our tenants to implement management strategies for PFAS and to update Environmental Management Plans.
We are following advances in research and changes in regulations about PFAS contamination. As PFAS is considered an emerging contaminant, our strategy will continue to evolve. We have in place, and continue to develop, procedures and plans to implement relevant government guidelines.
Sydney Airport continues to upgrade and expand its facilities for the millions of passengers, visitors, tenants and workers who use the airport. This includes ongoing building and construction projects.
To protect workers and the environment, we engage specialists to test soil and groundwater at the relevant site before construction projects start.
We also manage the discovery and removal of PFAS contaminated materials through Construction Environmental Management Plans (CEMPs), which include strict controls. The CEMPs include specific ways of excavating, handling and stockpiling soils as well as processes for removing materials containing PFAS.
Frequently Asked Questions
Services undertaken by Aviation Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) at Australian airports, involved the use of Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF) products including '3M Light Water' and 'Ansulite', both of which contained PFAS.
The EPA is investigating the legacy of PFAS use across the State, including in the Botany Bay area. There are a number of potential sources of PFAS around the bay including the Botany Industrial Park, Kurnell refinery, Port Botany, Sydney Water mains and Alexandra Canal. The EPA has identified that PFAS have been detected in fish caught in Botany Bay and the Georges River. It has concluded that because of the many potential sources of PFAS in the area it is difficult to attribute detections to specific locations.
The EPA advises that residents can continue to fish in Botany Bay and the Georges River but should follow precautionary dietary advice when eating their catch. More information on the EPA’s dietary advice is available on its website at epa.nsw.gov.au.
You can find out more about it from the Commonwealth Government and other regulators at the sites below.
PFAS National Environmental Management Plan
Commonwealth Government Department of Health
Airservices Australia National PFAS Management Program
The Environment Protection Authority NSW Government PFAS Investigation Program